Twenty-seven patients with spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent surgical treatment during the past ten years. The indications for emergent laparotomy were hemoperitoneum in 14 and unspecified peritonitis in 13. Twelve were found to have noncirrhotic HCC. The incidence of associated cirrhosis was 55.56 per cent. Surgical procedures included hepatic resection in 14, hepatic arterial ligation in six and packing, suture and electrocauterization in seven. Seven died within one month postoperatively, a surgical mortality rate of 28 per cent. Recently, palliative resection has been used more frequently. The group of patients who underwent resection have a better prognosis.